Fluid injection system



Feb. 20, 1962 c. A. MILLER FLUID INJECTION SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed001:. 5, 1960 n f IIIIIIIIYLJ.

llllllllI -l btlllii FIG. 1

INVENTOR CARL A. MILLER BY W M wnIi VIMWL f ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1962 c.A. MlLLER FLUID INJECTION SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

Filed Oct. 5, 1960 INVENTOR CARL A. MILLER Feb. 20, 1962 c. A. MILLER3,021,862

FLUID INJECTION SYSTEM Filed 001;. 5, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 12

Yl'l'lf INVENTOR CARL A. MILLER BY mssw Feb. 20, c. A FLUID INJECTIONSYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 5, 1960 FIG 6 INVENTOR CARL A MILLER'ATTORNEYS M hi a,

lllll Ill/I 7 Feb. 20, 1962 c. A. MILLER 'FLUID INJECTION SYSTEM 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 5, 1960 W/wu INVENTOR CARL A. MILLER BY wwlmlate aware Filed Oct. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 66,624 12 filairns. (Ci.137-2055) This invention relates to fluid injection systems andespecially to those of the type employed in connection with dishwashingmachines and the like.

The use of chemical drying agents has recently become rather general incommercial dishwashing machines, because of the consequent saving intime and expense, as well as because of the resulting great improvementin the appearance of the tableware after washing. The present inventioncomprises new and improved means for automatically injecting anaccurately controlled minute quantity of drying agent, or rinse fluid,into the rinse water of a dishwashing machine.

In brief, the system of the invention comprises a fixture in which arinse-fluid container, such as a glass bottle, is secured beneath afluid-flow indicating and controlling head. The bottle is hermeticallysealed to the underside of the head, but is readily removable forreplacement when empty. A flexible tube extends nearly to the bottom ofthe bottle and is connected to a flow indicator and a control valve fromwhich'the fluid passes through small tubing to a fluid injection devicecomprising, in part, a Pitot tube which is sealed in the hot water pipefeeding the dishwashing machine. The fluid is ejected from a smallorifice in the side of the Pitot tube. A second length of small tubingcarries water forced by the Pitot tube from the feed-water pipe at apressure depending on the velocity of the water flow in the pipe. Thewater in this tubing is discharged into the mouth of the bottle of rinsefluid, and the consequent pressure in the bottle forces the fluid out ofthe bottle through the flexible tube at a very slow rate which is finelyadjustable by the mentioned valve. The water and fluid do not mixappreciably in the bottle because the fluid is of greater density thanthe water and is not readily soluble therein. The fluid isdistinguishable from the water by its color. One such well-known fluidis known as Rinse Dry.

The various components provided in accordance with the invention havemany novel features which co-operate to provide an unusuallyadvantageous system, as will be apparent from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1is an isometric view of a fluid injection system according to theinvention, which includes a fluid-flow indicating and controlling headof preferred form;

PlG. 2 is a plan view of the system of FIG. 1;

3 is a vertical cross section taken along the line of 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

PEG. 5 is an enlarged vertical view, mostly in cross section, of amicrometer valve according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a vertical view, partly in cross section, showing analternative form of indicating and controlling head in accordance withthe invention, as well as means for detachably securing a fluidcontainer in the dispenser fixture employing either head;

FIG. 7 is a front view in elevation, partly in cross section, of acombination injection and Pitot tube device according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view, partly in section, of the bottom portion of thedevice of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the head unit of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-section of the head unit atent shown in FIG.10, taken along the line ill-11 of that figure;

FIG. 12 is a view of the under side of the upper section of the headillustrated in FIGS. 6, 10 and 11;

FIG. 13 is a view of the under side of the lower section of the headillustrated in FIGS. 6, 10 and 11; and

FIG. 14 shows a sealing gasket which is clamped between the upper andlower sections of the head illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13.

The system of the invention is shown in FIG. 1, wherein pipe 1 isassumed to feed hot water into a dishwashing machine, or the like, inthe direction of the arrow. The purpose of the invention is to injectinto the water stream within the pipe, a minute volume of rinse fluid sothat it will be sprayed in highly diluted form over the dishes,glass-ware and silver-ware, for example. A concentration in the order of100 parts per million is a useful amount. Although the ratio is notcritical, the fluid flow should be minutely adjustable.

In accordance with the invention, a fixture 2 is provided to comprise aself-contained fluid-dispensing unit which includes a stand 3 in which afluid container 4 is enclosed and also on which a fluid flow-controllingand indicating head unit 5 is mounted.

Although the stand 3 may be of any convenient form and material, the onehere illustrated comprises a bottom piece 6 and a top piece 7, bothformed fromstainless sheet steel. The rear of the stand is closed by aback piece 8 also of stainless steel. The front and sides are enclosedby a curved cover 9 of heavy transparent plastic material which issecured to the back piece 8 by a hinge 10 which permits the cover to beswung out when a container of rinse fluid is to be placed in the stand.The fluid flowcontrolling and indicating head 5, which is mounted on theupper side of the top piece 7, is described in detail below. It isconnected to a fluid injecting device 11 by means of suitable tubing 12and 13 which may be of any suitable material, but plastic tubing hasproved to be satisfactory. Since ejecting device 11 also comprises aPitot tube, it intercepts water flowing in pipe 1, and is conducted,under pressure, through tube 13, through the bottom of head 5 and intothe top of the container 4. The resulting pressure in container 4 forcesthe rinse fluid 85 through strainer 14 and flexible tube 15, throughhead 5 and thence through tube 12 into the injection device 11, fromwhich it is discharged into the water stream through injection orifice16. The line 87 represents the interface between the fluid 85 and thewater above it, and is apparent because of the different color of thefluid.

When a fresh bottle of fluid is clamped in place, it is usually full toapproximately the line 87, the space above being filled with airhence,when the system is put into operation, the water which comes in throughorifice 52 must displace this air-for this purpose a very small hole 83is drilled through the side of nipple 79 to vent the air into the fluiddischarge line via passage 74. Obviously after the air is replaced withwater, a very small volume of water will flow through this vent into thefluid stream. This is an advantage because it automatically keeps theentire system purged of air.

Although any suitable fluid container can be employed, a glass bottlehas proved to be satisfactory. Such a bottle is illustrated in FIG. 6,together with a suitable device a hole in top piece 7 of the stand.Three holes equidistantly spaced around the sleeve near the bottom edgethereof, carry the three steel balls 20. The diameter of Patented Feb.20, 1952 these balls is greater than the thickness of the material ofthe skirt, as shown in the drawing. The skirt 18 also advantageously ofplastic material, encircles the sleeve 17, and is free to slide over it.When the Shirt 18 is in the locking position as shown, it forces theballs 20 inwardly where they lock themselves under the neck ring 22 ofthe bottle, tending to urge it upwardly and thus secure it tightlyagainst the annular bottle-sealing gasket 23. The upper side of gasket23 lies in a recess 24 in the lower section 25 of the unit 5, and leavesopen a space 32 above the bottle. When lower section 25 is secured tothe top piece 7, as by screws, it also retains sleeve 17 securely inposition.

Helical spring 19, being of the compression type, urges skirt 1Sdownwardly, thus maintaining it in locked position. When skirt 18 ismanually raised against spring 19, the wider releasing portion 26 of theskirt is adjacent the locking balls which thus roll outwardly in theirretaining holes so as to permit the neck ring 22 to pass them. Thespring retaining ring 27, disposed in a suitable groove near the bottomof sleeve 17, prevents the skirt 18 from dropping away from the sleeve.When spring 19 is fully compressed, it acts as a stop, preventing theskirt 13 from being raised beyond its releasing position abovementioned. The flow-controlling and indicating unit 5, and the manner inwhich it co-operat'es with the other elements of the system, will beexplained in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4. p

, Referring to FIG. 3, flow-indicating and controlling head 5 comprisesan upstanding member or upper section 28 and a base or'lower section 29.Each may be of any suitable material, but here the upper section 28 isof a transparent plastic and the lower section 29 is of stainless steel.The stainless steel ring 30 retains the upper section 28 in place uponthe sealing gasket 31, through which suitable holes are punched toaccommodate the retaining screws 33 and the fluid channels to bedescribed. As shown in the drawing, the upper section contains a rstfluid passage 34 of which the upper section 35 is of larger diameterthan the lower section 36, and a second fluid passage 37, both of whichextend vertically. As shown, the first passage 34 is in the center ofsection 28, and passage 37 is to one side thereof. Both of thesepassages terminate at the top in a counterbore 38. Within thecounter-bore is a thin metal ring 39, which may be anchored in place byknurling, for example on its outer surface. Within ring 39 a controlvalve 40, which is described in connection with FIG. 5, is inserted andsealedtherein by suitable means such as the rubber O-ring 41. This valveis of the micrometer type and, by adjustment thereof, the liquid flow.between passages 34 and 37 which it spans can be controlled to anextremely minute degree.

The central channel 64 continues downwardly, although in reduceddiameter, through the bottom of section 28, through gasket 31 andfinally as hole 45, through the lower section 29, as illustrated. Ashort section of stainless steel tubing 42 is forced into the bottom ofsection 28 so as to extend upwardly into the lower part 36 of thepassage, as well as toextend downwardly below the bottom of section 28.By extending downwardly, it facilitates assembly of the parts 29 and 31and also assists in improving the seal. A similar length of tubing, 42,is also forced intothe lower end of passage. 37 for the same purpose. Athird length of metal tubing 44 is forced into. the bottom of hole 45 inorder to provide a nipple to which, the flexible plastic tube 15 can beattached in the manner better shown in FIG. 6.

The ball 46, of suitable material depending upon the chemical nature anddensity of the fluid within the passage 34, comprises a visualfluid-flow indicator. This ball should have a density slightly greaterthan the density of the fluid so that it will fall in the absence offluid flow, but so it will rise in response to a very small degree offluid flow. The density of the fluid used in this examplewasapproximately 1.02. In that example, the ball ,was of stainless steel ofdensity approximately 7. Since the clearance between the ball and thecylindrical passage 36 is small, viz., in this instance 0.002 inch, verylittle liquid escapes around it. Consequently, this indicator is verysensitive to the flow, such that an extremely small flow rate will raisethe ball in the lower section 36 up to the bottom of the upper section35. Since the clearance here is considerably greater, the ball willremain at or in this upper section for substantially the complete rangeof fluid flow which would be normal in this indicator. In a typicalcase, the maximum flow is of the order of 8 milli-liters per minute. Inan extreme case, the indicator ball might strike the upper stop 47 whichis attached to the valve, as shown more clearly in FIG. 5, to preventthe ball from closing the outlet of fluid passage 34 into the valve. Itwill also be seen in FIG. 3 that the ball 46, when at rest, sits on thetop of tube 42, thus acting as a check valve against reverse flow, aswell as providing maximum initial sensitivity to fluid flow upwardlyfrom the tube 42.

After the fluid passes through the valve 40, it descends in passage 37through tubing 43 into outlet channel 48 and into the outlet coupling 49which is attached to tube 12 (see also FIG. 1).

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the head unit just described inconnection with FIG. 3 taken at to the section of FIG. 3. Consequently,the connection of the water inlet tubing 13 is shown. This tubing isconnected to the head unit by water inlet coupling 50 which connccts towater inlet channel 51 which, in turn, terminates in an orifice 52. Whenthe liquid container bottle is secured in place as illustrated in FIG.6, this water orifice communicates with the interior of the bottle.

The micrometer valve 40, which coistitutes an important element in thesystem of the invention, is shown in detail in the enlarged sectionalview, FIG. 5. It comprises a body 53 of metal such as stainless steel,conveniently of circular form, which is provided with an integral upperneck 54. Through the center of this body, a hole is bored. The centralportion 55 of this hole is threaded as shown, and the upper portion 56and the lower portion 57 are of larger diameter to provide clearance forthe valve stem 58. This valve stem has a threaded central part 59 whichengages the threads 55 in the body. In the upper portion of the valvestem is a groove 60 into which a rubber O-ring 61 is inserted to providea seal between the stem and the neck 54. The lower end of the valve stem58 is of smaller diameter than the central threadedportion 55, so as toform an annular passage 62. At the bottom, this annular passage isbounded by O-ring 63 which is disposed in a counter-bore 64 formed inthe bottom of the valve body 53. This 0- ring bears against thecylindrical lower portion 57 of the valve stem. and provides a sealbetween the body and the stem at its lower end. The O-ring 63 also seatsagainst the top surface of the upper section of member 28 and thusprovides a seal is respect to this member'also.

Channel 62 is connected to the passage 37 through a first fluid conduit65 and a second fluid conduit 66. Conduit 66 is annular because itcomprises the space between the inside surface of ring 39 and theoutside surface of the body 53 which, as shown, is of smaller diameterthan the upper portion of the body. It will be noted that at the top,conduit 66 is bounded by O-ring 41 which is of quad type to improve theseal. The Valve channel 67 is cut longitudinally of the valve stem andis tapered inwardly toward the bottomend thereof so that, as the valvestem is screwed downwardly. as seen in the figure, the interconnectionbetween fluid passage 34 and fluid passage 37 decreases, and conversely.Although it is not shown in the drawing, channel 67 is also tapered inwidth, viz., itdecreases in width uniformly from the bottom to the topthereofwhich provides a greater change ofvolume control per degree ofadjustment. This compound taper is not always desirable, however. Fromthe foregoing, it will be observed that when the valve stem is screweddownwardly untii the top of the tapered channel coincides with theO-ring 63, the flow will be entirely cut ofi.

The construction of the combination injector-Pitot tube device 11 isshown in detail in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9. This device comprises a lower orbody portion 67, which advantageously is of circular cross-section, andan upper or coupling portion 68 which remains on the exterior of thewater pipe into which it is secured through a suitable hole. Device 11must be sealed in the pipe to prevent leakage; and this may readily beaccomplished by use of a suitable saddle clamp and sealing gasket inwell known manner. Longitudinally through the body portion a small holeis drilled to form a fluid passage 69 which terminates at the side ofthe body to form an orifice 16. It will be noted that orifice 16 is atthe side and slightly above the scoop opening. This location enhancesthe fluid emission into the passing stream and prevents entry of fluidinto the water intercepted by the scoop. Passage 69 terminates at itstop in a threaded nipple 70 extending from the side of coupling portion68 to permit suitable fluid tubing 12 (FIG. 1) to be coupled thereto.

In the center of the body 67 of device 11, a larger hole is drilled toform a water passage 71 which opens at its lower end into the top of thescoop 72, as shown. The upper end of water passage 71 terminates in athreaded receptacle 73 into which a suitable coupling member 174(FIG. 1) is provided to couple water tubing 13 thereto. Thus, accordingto a well known principle of hydraulics, when the device 11 ispositioned in a water pipe, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the velocity ofthe incoming water stream forces water upwardly in passage 71 and intotubing 13 as previously described.

The flow indicating and controlling head above described is shown inalternative form in FIGS. 6 and 14 inclusive. In the embodiment hereillustrated, the upper and lower portions of the head proper are bothcast from suitable transparent plastic material, although obviouslyother suitable material could be substituted. Fundamentally thisembodiment is the same as the one described in connection with FIGS.l-4, but the parts are constructed dir erently because they are moldedfrom plastic material. In addition, the present embodiment, asillustrated especially in FIG. 6, is modified so as to indicate the rateof fluid flow as well as the existence of fluid flow, as in the firstembodiment. From FIG. 6, it will be seen that the fluid passage '74 isof uniform diameter throughout the principal portion of its length andthat the diameter thereof is only enough greater than the diameter ofthe float ball 75 to permit free movement of the float in its passage.The second passage, 76, corresponds to passage 37 in the precedingfigures and conducts the fluid downwardly, into grooved channel 77 (FIG.12) which connects to fluid outlet coupling 49, as before. From FIGS. 6,11 and 12, it will be seen that the fluid flows from the container 4upwardly through flexible tube 15, nipple 79, and grooved channel 78 tothe bottom of passage 74.

The water coming in from the Pitot tube device flows through coupling50, grooved channel 80, orifice 52, into the space 32 above thebottleneck, and thence into the container or bottle 41. The groovedchannels 77, 78 and 80 are closed by the rubber gasket 31 which, in theassembly, is firmly pressed against the under side of the upper section82 of the head. Holes 83 and 84 in gasket 8?. are positioned so as topermit the fluid to flow through the gasket and into the lower section85. The sector piece 86 extending towards the rear of the upstandingmember which contains the flow indicator is, in this instance, castintegrally with the entire upper section of the .head. The purpose ofthis element is to mechanically reinforce the upstanding member as wellas to enhance the appearance of the head.

I claim:

1. In a fluid dispensing unit, a fixture comprising a bottom portion anda top member having upper and lower surfaces, means for supporting afluid container beneath said top member, fluid-flow controlling andindicating means mounted on the upper surface of said top member, saidcontrolling and indicating means comprising an upstanding member ofsolid material at least part of which is transparent, first and secondfluid passages extending downwardly in said upstanding memher, saidfirst passage being visible through said transparent part, a flowindicating float slidably disposed in said first passage, a counterborein the top of said upstanding member in which the upper end of both ofsaid passages terminate, a valve sealed in the counterbore and arrangedto inter-connect said bores, means for adjusting said valve to controlthe flow from said first bore to said second bore, coupling means forconnecting a fluid discharge line to the lower end of said second bore,means for removably securing a fluid container within the bottom portionof said fixture and beneath said top member, and a fluid intake tubedepending from the under side of said top member and connecting to thebottom of said first passage.

2. In a fluid dispenser, a fluid-flow controlling and indicating unitcomprising an upstanding member of solid material at least part of whichis transparent, first and second parallel bore extending downwardly insaid member, said first bore being visible through said transparentpart, a flow indicating float slidably disposed in said first bore, acounterbore in the top of said member in which the upper ends of both ofsaid bores terminate, said first bore and said counterbore beingconcentric and said second bore entering said counterbore near theperiphery thereof, an adjustable valve sealed in said counterbore andarranged to interconnect the upper ends of said bores, said valvecomprising a body shaped to fit said counterbore and having a holetherethrough which is in alignment with said first bore, the lowerportion of said hole being of greater diameter than an upper portionthereof, said upper portion of the body being threaded, a threaded valvestem rotatable in said body so as to be adjustable longitudinally insaid hole, the lower portion of said valve stem being spaced from saidbody to form an annular passage therebetween, a tapered longitudinalchannel on the lower portion of said valve stem, fluid-sealing meansdisposed to seal, except as interrupted by said channel, the lower endof the valve stem with respect to said body, a fluid inlet connected tothe lower end of said first bore, and a fluid outlet connecting saidannular passage of the exterior of said upstanding member.

3. In a fluid dispenser according to claim 2, a piece for rigid materialdepending from the lower end of said valve stem and extending into theupper end of said first bore to comprise a stop for said float wherebyto prevent the float from closing the inlet to said valve.

4. A fluid dispensing and injecting system for dishwashers and the like,including a dispensing unit comprising a fixture for receivinga fluidcontainer; said fixture including means for attaching said container toand detaching it from the fixture; a fluid-flow controlling andindicating head mounted on said fixture, means for sealing the containerto said head, a fluid conducting tube depending from said head andadapted to extend into said container, an orifice on said head disposedto discharge water into said container, said head including visualflow-indicating means and an adjustable valve of the micrometer type, afluid coupling on the exterior of said head, fluid conducting means bywhich said tube, indicator and valve are series-connected to said fluidcoupling, and a water inlet passage extending from the exterior of saidhead to said orifice; an injection device adapted to be sealed into awater pipe leading to a dishwasher, said device comprising a bodyportion adapted to be, within the pipe and a coupling portion outsidethe pipe, said body portion being of the Pitot tube type having a waterscoop at the lower end and a water passage leading therefrom to saidcoupling portion, and a fluid passage in said device leading from saidcoupling portion into the body portion and terminating in an injectionorifice in the side of said body portion; a watercarrying tubeconnecting the water passage in said coupling portion to the waterpassage in, said head, and a fluid-carrying tube connecting the fluidcoupling in said head to the fluid passage in the coupiing portion ofsaid injection device.

5. In a fluid dispensing and injecting system for a dishwater having afeed water pipe, the improvement comprising a fluid controlling unitincluding fluid-flow indicating and controlling means, a fluid outletfor said unit, a fluid container connected to supply fluid to said unit,and means for injecting a minute volume of fluid into the water in saidpipe, comprising an injection device adapted to besealed into said pipe,said device comprising a body portion adapted to be within the pipe anda coupling portion adapted to be outside the pipe, said body portionhaving an injection orifice in the side thereof and a fluid passage fromsaid coupling portion to said orifice, fluid-carrying tubing connectingsaid outlet to said coupling portion and to said fluid passage in saidinjection device, a Water scoop formed in the lower end of said bodyportion, a water passage leading from said water scoop to said couplingportion, and means including water-carrying tubing connecting said waterpassage to' said dispensing unit for feeding water under pressure fromsaid pipe into said fluid container.

6. A combined Pitot tube and fluid injection device adapted to be sealedin a feed-water pipe to a dishwashing machine, or the like, comprising abody portion adapted to be sealed within the pipe and a coupling portionadapted to be outside the pipe, a scoop at the end of said body portion,a water passage leading from the top of said scoop to the couplingportion, a fluid injection orifice, disposed in the side of said bodyportion removed from said scoop such that, when said scoop is positionedto face upstream in the pipe, fluid discharged from said orifice isprevented from entering said scoop, and a fluid passage separate fromsaid water passage and connecting said coupling portion to said orifice.

7. A fluid-flow controlling and indicating head adapted to be connectedin a rinse-fluid dispensing system for a dishwashing machine, includinga lower section and an upper section secured thereto, said upper sectionbeing of solid material at least part of which is transparent, first andsecond fluid passages extending downwardly in said upper section, saidfirst passage being visible through said transparent part, a flowindicating float slidably disposed in said first passage, a counterborein the top of said upper section, in which the upper ends of both ofsaid passages terminate, a valve sealed in the counterbore and arrangedto interconnect said passages, means for adjusting said valve to controlthe flow from said first passage to said second passage, fluid conduitmeans extending from the lower end of said second passage into one ofsaid sections for coupling a fluid discharge line to the lower end ofsaid second passage, means for securing a fluid container beneath saidlower section, means for sealing the top of said container to the underside of said lower section, a fluid intake tube depending from the underside of said lower section, said intake tube having a length such as toterminate near the bottom of said container, a fluid passage throughsaid lower section for interconnecting the upper end of said intake tubeto the lower end of said first passage, a water orifice in the undersideof said lower section within said sealing means, and a water conduitextending from the exterior of one of said sections to said waterorifice.

8. A fluid-flow controlling and indicating head according to claim 7, inwhich said first passage comprises a lower portion of diameter onlysuflicieut to permit said float to slide therein, and an upper portionof greater diameter than said lower portion whereby substantiallyminimum fluid flow causessaid float to rise to the top of said lowerportion, and considerably greater flow is re-. quired to raise the floatappreciably in said upper portion.

9. A fluid-flow controlling and indicating head adapted to be connectedto a rinse-fluid dispensing system fora dishwas'hing machine, includinga lower section and an upper section, a sealing gasket between saidsections and means for drawing said sections together against thegasket, said sections being of solid material and said upper sectionbeing at least in part transparent, first and second fluid passagesextending from the bottom of said upper section toward the top thereof,said first passage being visible through said transparent part, aflow-indicating float slidably disposed in the first passage, 21 valvedisposed at the top of said upper section and arranged to interconnectsaid passages, means for adjusting said valve to control the flow fromsaid first passage to said second passage, fluid conduit means extendingfrom the lower end of said second passage through said gasket into thelower section for coupling a fluid discharge line to the lower end ofsaid second passage, means for securing and for sealing a replaceablefluid container to the underside of said lower section, fluid conduitmeans connected to the bottom of said first passage and extendingthrough said gasket and lower section for conducting fluid from saidcontainer to saidfirst passage, and a water conduit opening into saidcontainer for displacing said fluid by water.

it). A fluid-flow controlling and indicating head adapted to beconnected to a rinse-fluid dispensing system for a dishwashing machine,or the like, including a lower section and an upper section, and meansfor securing said sections together, said sections being or" solidmaterial, two fluid passages extending from the bottom of said uppersection toward the top thereof and adapted to carry fluid in oppositedirections, a flow indicator actuated by fluid flowing in one of saidpassages, a valve of micrometer type disposed at the top of said uppersection and arranged to interconnect said passages at their upper ends,means for adjusting said valve to control the fluid flow from onepassage to the other, fluid conduit means extending from the lower endof one of said passages to the exterior of one of said sections andmeans for coupling a fluid discharge line thereto, releasable means forsealing a replaceable fluid container to the underside of said lowersection, and fluid conduit means connected to the bottom of the otherpassage and extending through the lower section for conducting fluidfrom said container to the last-mentioned passage.

11. A fluid-flow controlling and flow rate indicating head adapted to beconnected to a rinse-fluid dispensing system for a dishwashing machine,or the like, including a lower section and an upper section, and meansfor securing said sections together, said sections being of solidmaterial and at least part of said upper section being transparent, twofluid passages extending from the bottom of said upper section towardthe top thereof and adapted to convey fluid in opposite directions, afirst of said passages being arranged to convey fluid upwardly, saidfirst passage being visible through said transparent part and being ofuniform diameter for the principal portion of its length, a floatdisposed in the uniform portion of said first passage, calibrations onsaid transparent portion to indicate the positions of said floattherein, a valve of micrometer type disposed at the top of said uppersection and arranged to interconnect said passages at their upper ends,means for adjusting said valve to control the fluid flow from the firstpassage to the second passage, fluid conduit means extending from thelower end of the second passage to the exterior of one of the sectionsand means for coupling a fluid discharge line thereto, releasable meansfor sealing a replaceable fluid container to the underside of said lowersection, and fluid conduit aoanse'e means connected to the bottom ofsaid first passage and extending through said lower section forconducting fluid from said container to said first passage.

12. A fluid-flow controlling head adapted to be connected in arinse-fluid dispensing system for a dishwasher, or the like, said headincluding first and second closely spaced passages, a micrometer valveto control the fluid flow between said passages, said valve comprising abody proportioned to span said passages and having a hole tberethroughin alignment with said first passage, the upper and lower portions ofsaid hoie having a greater diameter than the central portion thereof,said central portion being threaded, a threaded valve stem rotatable insaid body so as to be adjustable longitudinally in said hole, aresilient O-ring on the upper portion of said valve stern to seal thesame in said hole, the lower portion of said valve stem being spacedfrom said body to form an annular passage therebetween, an annulargroove in said body at the bottom of the lower portion of said hole, asecond resilient O-ring disposed in said groove so as to comprise a wallof said annular passage, the central hole in the second O-ring being ofdiameter to provide a seal between said body and the lowermost portionofthe valve stem, a fluid conduit in said body connecting said annularpassage with said second passage, and a tapered longitudinal channel inthe surface of the lower portion of said valve stem which therebyinterconnects said first and second passages to a degree determined bythe longitudinal position of said valve stem in said body.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,888,239 Mosby Nov. 22, 1932 2,706,408 Holbrook Apr. 19, 1955 2,837,239Scholin June 3, 1958 2,858,698 Hickey Nov. 4, 1958 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3,02%862 February 20, 1962Carl A, Miller It is hereby certified that error appears in the abovenumbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patentshould read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 35, for "coistitutes" read constitutes column 6, line 54,for "for" read of column 7 line 14, for "dishwater" read dishwasher-Signed and sealed this 12th day of June 1962,

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDER DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

